and i must thank my constituents in san francisco for giving me the privilege of representing that beautiful and diverse city in the congress of the united states. each of us is here today is truly a representative, a representative in the truest sense of the word -- to represent the highest hopes and aspirations of the american people. on new year's eve -- some of you, a large number of members of congress joined hundreds of people at the national archives building where we observed at midnight the 150th anniversary of the emancipation proclamation. at midnight, there was an enactment of harriet tubman ringing the bell, ringing the bell, and as she rang the bell she said, "now we are free." it was quite an incredible moment and it was one that ushered in what president lincoln would call 'a new birth of freedom' for his era and for generations to come. that transformative moment in our history is a reminder of the best traditions we have as a people -- the ability and the obligation of each generation of americans to renew the promise of our founders, to carry forward the torch of progress,